Scour Critical Bridges

23,522 bridges across the US at risk from water erosion around foundations.

Scour Critical Bridges

Scour is the erosion of soil and rock around a bridge's foundation caused by moving water. When foundations are exposed or undermined, a bridge can collapse even if its deck and superstructure are in good condition. Scour is the leading cause of bridge failures in the US. These 23,522 bridges have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.

Bridge State Scour Status Condition Year Built ADT
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 16,094
Pilot Grove Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 16,000
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1976 15,893
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 15,880
HCFCD DITCH A-119-07-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1992 15,840
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1925 15,828
Horsepen Bayou Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 15,828
MASON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2014 15,778
HIGHLAND PARK DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 15,740
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 15,740
HONCUT CREEK California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 15,700
TRIB LITTLE BEAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2002 15,630
HCFCD Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 15,582
Drain Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1942 15,574
LANGHAM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 15,554
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 15,530
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 15,530
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 15,530
MIDDLE BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1978 15,470
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 15,427
BUFFALO BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 15,380
SH 99 & Drain Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 15,336
Tributary to Post Oak Cr Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 15,335
Post Oak Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 15,335
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 15,304
Willow Waterhole Byu Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 15,165
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 15,160
TRINITY RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 15,144
IH10WBFR BW8NBFR CARP Y Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 15,130
STEWARTS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 15,104
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2010 15,100
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 15,100
CHANNEL A Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 15,100
CHANNEL A Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2007 15,100
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2005 15,091
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 15,030
DITCH Mississippi Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 15,000
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 15,000
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1955 15,000
TIMBER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1999 15,000
BEAR BRANCH TRIBUTARY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 14,934
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 14,880
LANGHAM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 14,855
NEWTON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 14,843
COW GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1931 14,762
OCMULGEE RIVER Georgia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 14,750
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1966 14,700
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1966 14,700
MASON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2014 14,653
GEORGES SLOUGH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 14,540

Scour Critical Bridges by State

States ranked by number of scour critical bridges.

StateScour CriticalUnaddressedCountermeasuresIneffective
Texas 3,912 75 516 3,321
Pennsylvania 2,233 45 2,187 1
Louisiana 1,302 13 1,288 1
South Carolina 1,263 0 1,217 46
Oregon 1,231 4 1,221 6
Michigan 1,081 14 1,062 5
Nebraska 962 224 732 6
New York 864 9 780 75
Indiana 756 7 749 0
Wisconsin 751 0 748 3
Kansas 638 9 626 3
California 623 27 562 34
Tennessee 581 12 569 0
Washington 516 14 487 15
Puerto Rico 496 9 487 0
Alabama 450 1 423 26
Iowa 392 3 385 4
New Jersey 362 2 360 0
Florida 357 4 339 14
Oklahoma 317 33 283 1
Missouri 312 4 307 1
Mississippi 301 6 286 9
Connecticut 279 0 276 3
Minnesota 257 38 202 17
Vermont 242 0 240 2
Colorado 241 3 238 0
Idaho 215 18 186 11
South Dakota 207 3 203 1
Arkansas 187 3 129 55
Massachusetts 166 15 106 45
Montana 166 13 140 13
Arizona 164 2 160 2
West Virginia 160 2 98 60
Alaska 159 1 146 12
Maine 140 13 126 1
North Carolina 130 9 105 16
New Mexico 127 4 114 9
North Dakota 102 14 87 1
Utah 100 6 82 12
Georgia 99 1 81 17
Illinois 99 3 85 11
Nevada 94 0 85 9
Rhode Island 94 0 93 1
New Hampshire 86 2 78 6
Hawaii 83 0 82 1
Kentucky 56 16 39 1
Maryland 54 1 51 2
Wyoming 51 1 48 2
Delaware 39 0 39 0
Ohio 12 2 4 6
Virginia 8 0 8 0
District of Columbia 5 0 4 1

Scour Critical Rating Codes

Code 2 — UnaddressedBridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken.
Code 3 — Countermeasures InstalledProtective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical.
Code 6 — Countermeasures IneffectiveProtective measures were installed but have been assessed as ineffective. The bridge requires re-evaluation and additional action.

About Scour Critical Bridges

Scour critical bridges have been identified through underwater inspection or analysis as having foundations that are unstable or could become unstable during flood conditions. FHWA requires action plans for all scour critical bridges. Famous scour failures include the 1987 Schoharie Creek Bridge collapse in New York.